The Philadelphia Eagles have never been shy about adding talent to their roster under the watch of general manager Howie Roseman. That trend continued at the 2025 trade deadline as he brought former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips to the City of Brotherly Love by shipping a third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins.
Phillips was a player who was coveted by several teams across the league, so landing him was a coup in and of itself for Philadelphia. What he provided the defense in his Eagles debut at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football, however, could be a sign of bigger things to come during the second half of the 2025 campaign.
Eagles' Trade For Jaelan Phillips Already Looks Like Absolute Steal
The former Miami Hurricanes standout wasted no time making his presence felt in his debut for Philadelphia as he was all over the field for the defense from the opening kick to the final whistle in the Eagles' Week 10 victory over the Green Bay Packers. It didn't take long for his physical attributes to stand out to the media, as Zach Berman of The Athletic noted on X during the first half.
"Been impressed with Jaelan Phillips against the run in the first half. His size and physicality are apparent — and different from what the Eagles have at edge rusher," Berman wrote.
The last portion of that post is what makes the addition of Phillips so vital to Philadelphia's defense. He is different than what the Eagles had on the roster before the trade deadline. Something different was clearly needed for this unit after the issues they faced throughout the first half. With just 16 total sacks as a team through their first 8 games, the Eagles desperately needed a player who could provide a boost off the edge.
After racking up six total tackles, four of which were of the solo variety, one crucial tackle for loss on 4th and 1 with 1:30 remaining in the game, two QB hits, and a fumble recovery, Phillips is everything that fans in Philadelphia were hoping for and more.
Given the level of excitement Phillips had after joining the team, fans have to hope that his performances will only improve from here on out as he becomes better acclimated with his teammates and Philadelphia's defensive scheme. With his prior experience playing under Vic Fangio during their time together in South Beach, there shouldn't be a steep learning curve for the defender when it comes to learning the terminology and concepts used by the Eagles.
One thing is for certain, Phillips is off to a great start with his new team.